Button-fasten e resetting machine



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l. P. H. RICHARDS. VBUTTON PASTENER SETTING MACHINE.

No. 310,541. Patented Jan. 6, 1885.

@ @LMM Nv PETERS. Pxmw-Lnlmgmplm, wnslwglm D C (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. 1-1. RICHARDS. y

BUTTON FASTENEB. SETTING MACHNE.

110.310,541. Patented Jan. 6,1885.

f thvrrnn Sfrarns FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF SPRING-FIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUTTON-FASTENER-SETTING MACHINE.A

EPEC'IFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,541, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed September 13, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. Rreimnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, county of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ButtonFastener-Setting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying two sheets of drawings, forming a part of the same, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the right-hand side of the same. Fig. 3 is a ver'- tical sectional front elevation, the section bei'ng taken in line X X, Fig. 1. Fig. -l is a vertical longitudinal section near the center ofthe machine, ofthe front part thereof. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of Fig. 4, showing some of the parts in a different position. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the magazine in line Y Y, Fig. 2, showing a buttonfastener rightly placed therein. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing said fastener wrongly placed therein. Fig. 8 is an end View of the magazine. Fig. 9 shows a plan view of the rear part of the frame and a sectional view of the same in linea Fig. l0 is a sectional view in line o o, Fig. 2, showing the plungercarrier in its working position. Fig. 1l. is a similar view showing the same part in a different position.

Similar letters refer to sini ilar parts throughout the several views.

This invention relates to machinery especially adapted 'for setting or inserting into shoe-uppers that kind ol' button -fasteners known in the market as Kempshalls oncprong button-fasteners.77 This fastener consists of a fiat piece of metal, substantially as shown at F in Figs. 6 and 7, having a prong, U, and a bar or head, XV, at about right angles thereto, preferably so made relative to said prong that when this is set in a shoe, it being bent into a hook through the eye of the button, the button will pull centrally on said head.

The invention has for its object to furnish a convenient and efficient machine, adapted to be operated by foot-power, in which a supply of fasteners are fed from a magazine to a driving mechanism, whereby they may be inserted one at a time into a shoe-upper, the prong of the fastener passing through'the eye of a button suitably held above the said shoeupper, and then clinehing to hold said button thereto.

For the attainment of this object the invention consists in certain devices and combinations of mechanism which I will first describe in connection with the drawings, and afterward point out in the claims.

In the drawings, A is the frame of the machine, which is herein shown of a box-shaped form, but which may be constructed in any other manner suitable to support the parts secured thereon. AAt its front end, which is at the left hand in Figs. 1 and 2, the frame has a vertical extension or flange, A', and is formed to receive thefront plate, 1), and supports one end of guide-rod G, and secured on its upper surface there is an upright, A2, carrying presser-arm N and one end of the magazine-holder H. In said surface there is a groove, G2, and openings through which pass links L. At the rear end ofthe frameabracket, Af", carries the outer end of the said guiderod.

l? is the front plate, which is secured to the front end of iframe A by screws S or otherwise. This plate is recessed upon its rear side to receive the driver-guide, driver, and driver-slide, and has stop-screws S and S2 for limiting, respectively, the upward and the downward motion of said slide.

B is the driver-slide, adapted to have a vertically-reciprocating motion between frame A and front plate, l?, its stroke being limited by aforesaid stop-screws S and Si. This slide is formed at its lower end to receive one end ol the working-lever, whereby it is operated, and to its upper end the driver is secured.

C2 is the driver-channel, formed in the front plate between the front plate cap and driverguide, described below, and having a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the fasteners, as F, Fig. 5, so that said vfastener will very nearly iill said channel in that direction.

l) is the driver, secured to and operated by slide B, and iitted to slide in thedrivei1-clian nel C2.

IOO

Owing to the thinness of the fasteners used it is found necessary to use a correspondinglythin driver, which, if it has a rectangular cross-sectional form, is not strong enough to properly endure the work of setting them. For this reason I strengthen said driver by ribs J, Figs. 3 and 4, preferably formed integrally therewith, which are placed one on each edge, preferably,of the front sideof the driver, so as not to interfere with the fasteners.

As this machine is more especially designed for setting such buttonfasteners as shown at F, Figs. G and 7, and as those fasteners have no edge whereby the prong may be kept in a vertical position while the fastener is carried upward through channel C2, it is therefore necessary, or at least desirable, to accomplish this by means of a suitable construction of said channel and driver. For this purpose the width of channel C'l as measured from right to left in Fig. 3 should only be enough to freely receive the length of head V of the said fastener F, and the upper end of the driver should be made concave or of other shape conforming to the form of the fastener-head, so that the fastener-prong will be maintained in a vertical position by the upward pressure of the conformably-shaped end of the driver on the under side of said fastener-head.

In using the machine the point of the driver does not pass clear up to the top of the driver channel, but only so far as to drive the fasteners up against the settingdie sufficiently to properly set them. This distance is limited by the stop-screw S. The downward stroke ot' the driver is limited by the stop-screw Si, by means of which the lower limit of said stroke may be so adj usted that the upper end of the driver shall properly coincide with the bottom of the fasteners in the magazine, here inafter described. These stops S Sl are not necessarily adjustable ones; but the same may consist of suitable parts of or additions to plate I), constructed so as to limit the stroke of the driver, as explained. It is my intention to covereach of these stops by my claims, whether or not they are made adjustable.

D is a driver-guide, being a piece formed on or secured to the front plate to iill the space between the ribs .Tand to guide the point of the driver during its upward stroke, and the fastener which is carried upon said point. I prefer that this driver-guide shall be made of steel, the front plate being of cast-iron, so as to better endure the wear caused by the ascending fasteners.

I is the front-plate cap, a cap or cover secured, by screws S3 or otherwise, to the rear of the front plate above flange A.- This cap covers the rear side of the recess or channel in said front plate through which the fasteners are driven up by the driver, which channel I call the driver channel, and ithas a perforation or mortise, through which fasteners may be fed into the driver-channel above the driver. This mortise is preferably formed t0 admit one end either of the magazine or magazine-holder, the latter being the case, as shown in the drawings. Said cap is made separate from flange A merely to facilitate-the construction, adjustment, and repair of the machine, not vbecause that construction of it is necessary. It may also be made integral with plate I, but I consider this undesirable.

II is the magazine-holder, which at its front end fits themortise or opening in plate P, and is supported farther back by the uprig'nt A2, or otherwise, as may be most convenient. This holder I prefer to make of a channel-bar form adapted to receive the magazine l\/I,which magazinehas a groove suitably formed to carry a supply of the fasteners above described. This groove may have any shape suitable to hold saidfasteners in place, they being either partially or wholly inclosed, as may be desired; but I prefer the form of groove shown in the drawings. This form is such that when the fasteners are properly placed therein they are held up by the longer end only of their heads. If they are wrongly placed therein, so that the said longer end is outward, they will fall out of the groove. This avoids any danger of accidentally feeding the fasteners to the driver wrong side first, which would canse the prong to be turned over toward the short. end of the head.

In Figs. G, 7, and S, M is the magazine, having any convenient external form. V is a groove for receiving the prong` of the fasteners. V2 is a groove for receiving the longer end of the fastener-head \V. V isa lip or rib having a horizontal width preferably less than the length of said longer end of said head. The horizontal distance from groove V to the edge of rib 'V3 is then greater thanv the length of the shorter end of said head. It', now, a fastener, F, is rightly placed in the magazine, as in Fig. 6, the longer end of its head rests on the rib V, the fastener being thereby held from falling out of the magazine; but if the fastener is wrongly placed therein, asin Fig. 7, the shorter end of the head is not long enough to reach said rib, and is thus allowed to fall out of the channel and out of the way.

The magazine M is ,or may be made of wood, and in this case especially it is more conveniently handled if it does not enter cap F. On this account a short steel channel, M2, Fig. 5, is secured to holder H, forming, if desired, a part thereof, through which the fasteners pass from the magazine to the driver. If the magazine is made of metal, it may be extended into cap P, taking the place of said channel. The fasteners in the'magazine are pushed forward toward the driver by a plunger, P2, which has preferably a vertical tongue, T, adapted to slide along in groove V behind the fasteners. It is not important what devices are used to operate this plunger provided they do this in a suitable manner, but I prefer to use for IIO IZO

the purpose the improved mechanism which I will now describe.

G is a guide-rod supported by flange A and bracket A3, parallel to the magazine. On this guide-rod slides the plunger-carrier C, onto the top of which the plunger is formed or secured. This carrier is driven forward by a spring, S, (in this case a push-spring.) It is provided with an arm, E, which fits the groove G2, formed in the frame parallel to the guide rod, and with a handle, H2, whereby itis slid back away from the magazine. Its backward motion is limited by a stop, A2, on bracket A2.

The construction and arrangement of the carrier-groove G2, plunger P2, and the magazine are such (seeFig. 10) that when the plunger is in use (being then in front of the magazine) it holds the magazine into its holder II. By this means no other devices except the holder itself are required to properly secure the magazines in place, and hence they may be very quickly removed or put in place. The groove G2 is widened at its back end,(see Fig. 9,) and has a lantern-catch, K, formed therein, so that when the carrier Gis slid clear back it may be swung on rod G- by means of handle H2, .is shown in Fig. Il, and the lower end of arm E caught into said catch, thereby holding back the carrier and plunger while the operator takes out an empty magazine and puts a full one in its place.

N is the presser-arm, which is pivoted to upright A2 by bolt B2, has a die, D2, formed in its front end directly above the driver, and is operated by links L, pivoted thereto at O. Those links pass down through openings in the frame,and are connected at O to the working-lever R, which lever is pivoted/at O2 to slide B and at O2 to treadle-rod R2, whereby said lever, and thereby the driver and presser, are operated. A stout pull-spring, S2, is attached to lever It between O and O2 and tothe treadle-rod R2 at a point some distance down from O2. The treadlc for operating the said rod is not shown. up this rod and hold all the parts connected thereto in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 2. In this position the weight of all those operative parts is sustained by the lower stop-screw, S2.

The mode of operation of this machine is as follows: The treadle-rod and thc parts connected thereto being in the position shown in Fig. 2, the magazine properly supplied with button-fasteners, and the plunger acting to crowd said fasteners forward, as in Fig. 5, the shoe-upper (or other goods) to which the buttons are to be secured is then placed under the die D2, as in Fig. et; The treadle-rod is then drawn down (slide B continuing down, and pivot O2 being the fnlcrum of lever R) until the presserarm brings die D2 down firmly onto the aforesaid shoe-upper. At this moment, rod R2 continuing to move downward, pivot O becomes the fnlcrum of lever R, which lever now acts to raise slide B, (see Fig. 5,) thereby forcing the driver D up That spring acts to draw through its channel G2 and driving the fastener F, which was above it, up between D and P until its prong passes through the shoeupper, andthe eye of a button, suitably held thereabove, is clinched over said eye and 1. In a buttonfastener-setting machine of the class described, a magazine, grooved, substantially as described, to receive the fasteners, and opening into one side of a drivel'- channel above a driver, a driver channel adapted to receive the fasteners one at a time from said magazine, and corresponding to them, substantially as described, a die above said channel adapted to bend over into a hook the prongs of said fasteners, and a driver having a reciprocating motion in said channel, and having its point comformably shaped to the fastener-head, whereby said fasteners are-driven, with their prongs maintained vertically, from their point of entrance into said channel through the same and against said die, combined and operating substantially as set forth.

2. In a buttonfastener-setting machine of the class described, a magazine, grooved, substantially as described, to receive the fasten-- ers, and opening into one side of a driverchannel above a driver, a driver channel adapted to receive the fasteners one at a time from said magazine, and corresponding to them, substantially as described, a die above said channel adapted to bend over into a hook the prongs of said fasteners, and a driver having a reciprocating motion in said chan nel, and having its point conformably shaped to the fastener-head, whereby said fasteners are driven, with their prongs maintained vertically, from their point of entrance into said channel through the same and against said die, and an actuating mechanism, substantially as described, for operating said driver and die, combined and operating substantially as set forth.

3. In a buttonfastener-setting machine of the class described, a magazine, grooved, substanti ally as described, to receive the fasteners, and opening into one side of a driver-channel above a driver, a drivenehannel adapted to receive the fasteners one at a time from said magazine, and correspondingto them, substantially as described, a die above said channel adapted to bend over into a hook the prongs of said fasteners, and a driver having a recip- IOO rocating motion in said channel, and having its point conformably shaped to the fastenerl head, whereby said fasteners are driven,with their prongs maintained vertically, from their point of entrance into said channel through the same and against said die, and the lever mechanism, substantially as described, adapted to first press down said die and then throw up the driver, combined and operating sub- 1o stantially as set forth.

4. In abutton-astener-setting machine,slide B, having thereon a driver, as D, averticallymovable presser, N, having die D, lever R, links L, rod R, and spring S, combined and i 5 operating substantially as set forth.

5. ln a button-fastener-setting machine, a button-fastener-driver, D, having one or more flanges, J, in combination with driver-guide D', forming one side of the driver-channel,

2o substantially as described.

6. A magazine for holding button-fasteners the heads of which are longer on one side of the prong than on the other side thereof, hav-v ing groove V, groove V2, and rib V3, said rib being so formed as to retain said fasteners in the magazine only when the longer ends of their heads are in said groove V2, substantially as described.

7. In a button fastenersetting machine,

3o magazine-holder H, magazine M, removably fixed on said holder and grooved to receive the button-fasteners, and plunger P2, having a tongue adapted to slide in said groove, combined and operating substantially as described. 8. In combination, a magazineholder, aremovable magazine supported by said holder, a guide-rod parallel to the groove of said magazine, a plunger-carrier sliding on said guiderod, having a plunger adapted to prevent said .io magazine from leaving its place and to feed button fasteners through the same, and a springA arranged to slide said carrier on said rod, substantially as described.

9. In combination, magazine M, guide-rod 4 5 G, carrier C, having plunger P2 and arm E, and

adapted to have a sliding and swinging motion on said rod, and groove G2, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. In combination, magazine M, suitably 5o supported in a fixed position, guide G, carrier C, having plunger P2 and arm E, and adapted to have asliding andaswinging motion on said guide, groove G2,having catch K, and spring S", substantially as and for the purpose described.

1l. In a button-fastenersetting machine, in 55 combination, a magazine-holder, H, having the short channel M2, and magazine M, removably fitted to said holder, substantially as described.

12. In combination, plate P, recessed to receive slide B and driver D, cap P, forming one side of the driver-channel, and having an opening for a channel or magazine, M2 or M, a channel or magazine, as M2 or M, tted toV said opening, and a stop, as S2, determining the lower limit of the stroke of said driver, so that the upper end of the driver Will coincide with thebottom of the button-faste`nersin 1 said magazine, substantially as described.

13. In combination, plate P, recessed to re- 7o ceive slide B and driver D, cap P', forming one side of the driver-channel, and having an .opening for a channel or magazine, a channel or magazine, as Ml or M, fitted to said opening, and a stop, as S, determining the upper limit of the stroke of said driver, so that it will drive the fasteners up against said die the distance only which is required to properly set them, substantially as described.

14. In a button-fastener-setting machine, in combination, plate P, recessed to receive slide B and driver D, cap P', forming one side of the driver-channel, and having an opening for a channel or magazine, as M2 or M, a channel or magazine, as M2 or M, fitted to said open- 8 ing, a stop determining theloWer limit of the stroke of said driver, so that the upper end of the driver will properly coincide with the bottom of the button-fasteners in said magazine, a die, D2, suitably held above the top of said channel, and a stop determining the upper limit of the stroke of said driver, so that it will drive the fasteners up against said diethe distance only which is required to propelyset them, substantially as described.

15. In a button-fastener-setting machine,the magazine M, grooved. to receive fasteners F, substantially as described,in combination with a sliding plunger, P2, formedto enter and feed said fasteners through said magazine, substanroo tially as set forth.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS.

Vitnesses:

C. O. PALMER, H. F. L. ORCUTT. 

